Jeremiah 11

The Covenant Broken

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

2 “Listen to the words of this covenant and speak them to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem.”

3 Say to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this covenant.”

4 “The covenant I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of Egypt, out of that iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice and do everything I command, and you will be My people, and I will be your God.’”

5 “That I may confirm the oath I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.” I answered, “Amen, LORD.”

Judah’s Rebellion

6 Then the LORD said to me, “Announce all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say, ‘Listen to the words of this covenant and do them.’”

7 “For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them out of Egypt, warning them again and again, saying, ‘Obey My voice.’”

8 “But they did not listen or pay attention. Instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant that they refused to obey.”

A Conspiracy Against God

9 The LORD said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem.”

10 “They have returned to the sins of their forefathers who refused to obey Me. They have chased after other gods to serve them. Israel and Judah have broken My covenant that I made with their fathers.”

11 “So this is what the LORD says: I am bringing disaster on them from which they will not be able to escape. And when they cry to Me, I will not listen.”

12 “Then the cities of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will cry out to the gods they burned incense to, but those gods will not save them in their time of trouble.”

13 “You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah. And you have set up as many altars to shame, altars to burn incense to Baal, as streets in Jerusalem.”

No Intercession

14 “As for you, do not pray for this people or lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not listen when they call out because of their trouble.”

God Rejects Judah’s Hypocrisy

15 “What right does My beloved have in My house when she carries out so many evil schemes, Can vows and sacrifices make you innocent, Even then, you rejoice in doing evil.”

16 “The LORD once called you a thriving olive tree, beautiful and full of fruit. But with the roar of a great storm, He will set it on fire, and its branches will be broken.”

17 “The LORD of armies, who planted you, has pronounced disaster against you because of the evil the house of Israel and Judah have done, provoking Me with their offerings to Baal.”

Jeremiah Plotted Against

18 The LORD revealed their plot to me, and I knew it, He exposed their deeds to me.

19 I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter. I did not know they were planning against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living so no one remembers his name.”

20 But You, LORD of armies, judge righteously and test the heart and mind. Let me see Your vengeance on them, for I have committed my cause to You.

Judgment on the Men of Anathoth

21 This is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who threaten me, saying, “Do not prophesy in the LORD’s name or we will kill you.”

22 Therefore, this is what the LORD of armies says: “I am about to punish them. Their young men will die by the sword; their sons and daughters will die by famine.”

23 “And none of them will remain when disaster comes on the men of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.”